The inability of domestic airlines to operate flights to Kumasi last week was due to the delay in inspection and certification of the InstrumentLanding System (ILS) and VOR at the facility, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority has said.
This contradicts earlier claims by the airlines that their failure to fly scheduled flights was due to the onset of Harmattan, which made visibility poor.
Speaking in an interview, the Deputy Director-General Technical of the GCAA Martey Boye-Atoklo said: “An ILS and VOR was installed. But we need to conduct the necessary calibration and flying procedure and certification. We will then publish this for all operators to rely on.
“A specially calibrated ASECNA aircraft that will do the calibration and flying procedure came in earlier in the year to do the assessment. The ILS was calibrated but the flight procedure was not completed due to a damage to the VOR by lightning. We replaced the damaged VOR part, but are awaiting the ASECNA aircraft to come and conduct the flying procedure again.”
An ILS is a highly accurate radio signal navigation aid used by pilots landing at an airport when there is poor weather and/or low visibility. It has antennas that provide the pilot with vertical and horizontal guidance when landing in low visibility.
With the VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Range navigation system), a pilot can simply, accurately, and without doubt navigate from one point to another.
Domestic airlines have had to suspend flights to Tamale, Sunyani, Kumasi, and Takoradi due to poor visibility following onset of the Harmattan.
Checks reveal that airlines have had to go by the old GCAA approach measure of 1200metres despite the fact there is an ILS in place, due to delays in certification.
Visibility in Kumasi has hovered between 800-900metres, while Tamale has been the worst-affected destination.
Domestic airliners have called on the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to invest more in the acquisition of modern navigations instruments for all airports in the country, to prevent future suspension and delay of flights due to poor visibility.
“This is not the first time that poor visibility has led to suspension of flights. We need to invest in more systems to ensure that flights can be operated whether there is Harmattan or not,” Mr. Eric Antwi, Chie Executive Officer of Starbow, revealed.
It has been reported that domestic airline will lose an estimated GH¢6million per week if the Harmattan, which is associated with poor visibility, continues to cause flight suspensions and delays — much to the dismay of passengers.
Africa World Airlines (AWA), which operates 50-seat ERJ 145LR jets to Tamale, Kumasi and Takoradi, is estimated to lose about GH¢2.5million in gross revenue per week if visibility continues to be poor.
Starbow, which operates two 94-seat BAe 146-300 jets and a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft that can seat up to 78 passengers, is estimated to lose about GH¢4million per week if the dusty season continues.
The industry regulator, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), says the weather may improve for flight operations after December 15, 2015.
There are currently two airlines — Starbow and Africa World Airlines — offering domestic flights from Accra to Kumasi, Tamale, and Takoradi.
The operators have had to increase their flight frequencies since July to these three destinations following the suspension of Antrak’s operations.
Business professionals who rely on the ease and convenience of early morning flights from the domestic terminal of the Kotoka International Airport to Kumasi, Tamale and Takoradi have had to adopt the stressful four and 12 hour-bus ride to Kumasi and Tamale respectively.